Kurdish Communities Union (KCK) Executive Council member Duran Kalkan has reminded of the fact that Kurdish denial in the Constitution must be overcome and Ocalan’s conditions must be changed and the works said to be conducted has not been reflected onto public yet. Kalkan also referred to Ocalan’s “this should be ended until the mid of October” statement.
Kurdish Communities Union (KCK) Executive Council member Duran Kalkan answered “Yeni Özgür Plitika” newspaper’s questions regarding the beginning of the process, current state of it and the approaches and expectations of the sides.
Does the manifestation shared by Kurdish Leader Abdullah Ocalan during Newroz work in the parallel with an agreement?
There are some difficulties, issues and problems in the management of the democratic solution process declared by Leader Apo during Newroz. Because there are different targets and different views. In contrast to what some say or think it is not handled in regards to an agreement. I mean this process has not developed based on a common and mutual agreement. There is only a mutual agreement and promise regarding the inclusion of politics rather than weapons and armed conflicts. It refers to the resolution of the issues with democratic political struggle. In this regard, this process refers to a more complicated and comprehensive struggle process. Some thoughts ignore the nature of this process, which in fact, blurs and devalues the process. It is as if this process can be worked out and the issues can be resolved without a struggle (…)
Is this an intentional approach?
Some might think that by doing like that we can make PKK lose. No one should dream of this or do politics based on this idea. PKK is a keystone for the resolution of Kurdish issue and democratisation of Turkey. If the keystone loses, everybody will lose.
Ocalan said that the second stage of the process has started. Turkish side has defended that before the end of first stage second stage cannot start. What does Turkish government aim or try to do?
Leader Apo has proposed third Road Map both to us and to the government. You know that before this, in 2009 August, Leader Apo proposed another Road Map. Secondly, he also proposed, a Road Map with three protocols in 2011 May. The Turkish Government rejected both of these Maps. The Road Map proposed in the Spring of 2012 is the third one. Like with other two, we also confirmed this one. AKP also seemed to confirm this one. In this Road Map, there was an action plan involving democratization, the principles and philosophies of democratic solution of Kurdish issue. These stages refer to this action plan.
-First stage was ceasefire: It was the period covering the process declared in Newroz until the beginning of June.
-Second stage was democratisation: This stage aims to be completed from the beginning of June until the end of 2013.
-Third stage was normalisation. After the success of these two stages, this stage would be put into agenda after the clarification of the long lasting solution for both sides. A precise time frame was not emphasized for this stage; it was said that the circumstances would determine the time frame.
There was such Road Map and time planning…
Yes, we have moved on that basis. We managed to implement the duties and responsibilities imposed by the first stage 15 days earlier than it was anticipated.
Can you remind us of the details?
–Before Newroz, we released the captives with us.
-We announced ceasefire on 23 March. The ceasefire still continues and there has been no any violation from our side.
-We have announced on 25 April that the guerrillas would withdraw. The process of withdrawal has started on 8th May.
-The first guerrilla groups have reached their places on 14-15 May.
Hasn’t AKP government done anything in this process?
-AKP has done some works in this process but they have not been as clear and fast as us. They stopped the operations. So the ceasefire became mutual.
-The Wise People Commission has been a good step for this peace process. Such a commission with this name was founded and they started their works.
-A new commission has been established in the Parliament and in doing so Parliament has been included to the process.
Have there been any obstacles, which have overshadowed this process? Did you give any immediate reactions?
Of course. Let me explain:
-The operations have stopped but the recruitment of new village guards, the building of new police stations, the foundation of new road and dam for military purposes, the flying of reconnaissance aircrafts have not stopped. We criticized this from the beginning. We mentioned the fact that the suspension of operations is not enough and military actions going against the process should be stopped. AKP did not stop and Prime Minister and AKP spokesmen have clearly emphasized that these actions would not stop.
– Wise People Commission has remained as a formality; the content of this commission has also remained shallow. It could not reach to the position, which plays a role as Truth and Justice Commission chasing the process. It turned to be only a report commission and they conducted propaganda within the public. It has played 25-30 % of its genuine role.
-They have not made a law, which would enable the establishment of a Parliament Commission following the process emphasized by Leader Apo. AKP mentioned that such a commission would not be established and they established a commission involving only AKP components, which has very limited authority. This commission was not a strong step, which would allow making law or directing the political process.
Thus, in the middle of May, beginning of June reached the point to be reached. Then?
We have reported this to the Leader Apo in a letter to be presented by the delegation. No later than 20th May, 25th May, the interview was supposed to take place and the letter was supposed to be delivered. On this basis, the works would have been evaluated and second stage would have been defined and declared. However in here, some sort of distraction, negligence and delay and blurriness have come up.
What sort of negligence was it?
Our letter was not reached to the Leader Apo on time. Some sort of delays was put into practice. The meeting of BDP delegation to be taken place in Imrali was delayed for 15 days. The meeting was supposed to be taken place no later than 25th May but it took place on 7th June. In fact, the new stage should have started by 1st June and steps for the second stage should have taken because practically we have reached to that position to do so. We were ready to start the second stage. AKP has prevented this.
Isn’t “AKP has prevented this” a very precise statement?
This is very clear. AKP attempted to blur the steps. AKP said not the beginning of June but the end of it. They do not tell the truth. Before that AKP spokesmen used to say “why does PKK give a date, time should not be given”. For creating some sort of ambiguity, they do not want any time frame to be mentioned. If we agree on a date, they cannot create ambiguity. In fact, dates are very clear. They are written in the documents. It is not the end of the June but the beginning of June as mentioned by Leader Apo.
There are some people saying, “PKK is slowing down or delaying the withdrawal”…
This is very disrespectful. We have made serious works taking risks. Was it easy to transfer the group from North Kurdistan on 14-15 May to the Medya Defence Zone? (…)
What AKP would prefer to delay the process?
AKP wants to take the process slow. In doing so, they create excuses. When getting pressure from the public, they direct the pressures onto us. There is nothing surprising in here. This has been a typical political style of AKP.
A meeting with Ocalan took place, what was his reaction?
Because AKP has created ambiguity and delayed the transition to the stage two for a month, Leader Apo gave a harsh reaction and went against this approach. He accused us and BDP of not chasing the process sufficiently and not taking the required approaches. These were very right and accurate critics and warnings. He made a call to the AKP to keep their promises and not delay the process. He warned AKP for their delaying and ignoring attitudes.
Has there been a positive reflection of AKP?
After this, AKP has taken very weak steps. BDP gselegations and his brother were arranged to meet Apo and they re-activated the constitutional commission. The discussion of a possibility of a new constitution has started. The approaches of diversion of the agenda due to Taksim Gezi Park Resistance and its spread all over the country have been overcome to a certain level.
Can you please expand on the government using Gezi Park as an excuse?
In fact, from 15th May to the mid of June, for a month, AKP, CHP and MHP in a form of being governed by a centre have tried to derail the agenda. They all took up the same the position. One of them spoke as the government, and the other one as the opponent, but in fact, their attitudes of the process were same. By making the Gezi Park clashes as their main agenda, they attempted to make forget the new developing democratic political solution. In doing so, they tried to pull of this process from Gezi Park resistance emerged as a result of this process. We came to a conclusion that in fact same centre governs AKP, MHP and CHP. Sometimes they seem to dispute or seem to have conflicts but in fact they are only acting. In fact, a scenario was drawn to them and they were expected to play their roles. There is a power, which draws this scenario and makes them play (…)
We are in the mid of July. What is going on right now?
They wish to continue same attitudes. AKP has the same attitudes of postponing, delaying, blurring, slowing down the process.
What can be said for AKP’s such politics?
There is a very visible reality: The AKP does not want to pull of the process but does not want to implement what they are supposed to do. They want the process continue but they do not wish the democratic transformations and democratic political solution for the Kurdish issue to be taken place. This is the politics of AKP. Everyone should know the real face of AKP. AKP has been like that all the time.
The AKP’s election justification might not be understood clearly, can you clarify this?
I can clarify this like that: AKP tried to beat PKK through military ways for winning 2009 and 2011 elections in order to continue their leadership for another 5-10 years. The period between 2009-2011 in Turkey is in fact a coup process of AKP. In 2009, there was a harsh coup of AKP similar to military coup in 12 September 1980. No body talks about this. As a result of this, AKP hoped to abolish and refine PKK through military means in 2011-2012. AKP attacked accordingly. However, the struggle of Leader Apo, guerrillas, the struggle of Kurdish people, the prisoners, the struggle of democratic politics, the struggle of all the democratic powers have failed the AKP’s plans and made their politics unsuccessful. AKP saw that they would not succeed like that. They would enter the election with the state of conflicts. They saw that the conflicts would get heightened at least until 2014. If they entered the elections with conflicts, they would lose the elections. There would face the risk of not being elected again, facing the risk of falling from the government. AKP does not want to fall from the government. AKP knows quite well the cost of falling from the government. AKP have made the election loss as the issue of existence-non-existence. Prime Minister considers the loss of election as death (…) That’s why they said ‘yes’ to the process. They said ‘yes’ so that they would go to the election in silence. The plan of AKP is as following: Shall PKK declare ceasefire so that we can stop the operations. In the mid of discussions of democratisations, they want to go to the elections in 2014, 2015 and win it and achieve their 2023 target.
Do you think this is the reason of delaying, slowing down, and postponing approaches for starting the second stage?
This is very clear. AKP does not want to burden any political responsibilities in return to the withdrawal of the guerrillas. PKK should withdraw but withdrawal should not lead to any political steps. This is AKP’s wish and approach. AKP is both due to mentally and politically against democratisations. AKP does not have CHP and MHP obstacles in front of them. AKP can achieve any democratic transformations. They can do it both at the level of constitution and politics.
Do they have enough support for that?
They have both internal and external support for achieving this. If they take a step for it, no one from abroad will go against and they will get the support of 80% of the people in Turkey. All the Kurd will support this. That’s why the excuses of internal or external obstacles are only lies. No one should take such excuses seriously. There is no any obstacle in front of AKP (…)
If AKP is not trustworthy and will not take the required steps to achieve the process, why, then, PKK is involved in this process?
AKP is not strong. AKP is weak. They did not get successful in the elections in 12 June 2011 and the war of 2011-2012 as much as it has been thought. That’s why AKP goes through the risk of losing the government. An election is ahead and they think they have to win it. The possibility of being government again depends on the ceasefire and the ceasefire is in the hands of PKK. If they want to have the ceasefire for their government, they have to give something in return for the ceasefire. PKK also wants this. This also means the real democratisation of Turkey. There is no any other way. If they do it, they will win the elections. If they do not take the steps, they cannot enter the elections with a ceasefire atmosphere (…) Kurdish Freedom Movement wants to transform this process into positive results for both all Turkey people and Kurdish people. This is how the politics should be.
Do you think is the plan fictionalised on the “May ceasefire happen, I shall go to election period and win the elections” ruptured?
Yes, it is ruptured a bit. Despite this, we try to deepen the process. Rather than keeping the process with only ceasefire, the process has reached to the stage of withdrawal and in return taking the process to the stage of increasing the judicial and political steps leading to the opening the path of the solution for Kurdish issue. As the people of Turkey and democratic revolutionary powers, we try to bring the process to this stage. We have achieved conferences; we have given common decisions (…)
But AKP does not pull off the process too…
If they do, they will lose. If this process is ruptured and ceasefire is broken, AKP will lose at most. Then, it will be dream for AKP to win the elections and to be the government. That’s why AKP at least tries to make the ceasefire continue but they will try to stop the deepening of the process towards democratisation.
Can’t AKP do something else?
I think they can. They can come up with a new package in a form of making constitutional changes, which does not involve democratisation, or solution of Kurdish issue but strengthens the AKP’s government and abolish the constitutional obstacles in front of the government. They can take an approach towards the constitution like that and they can deceive the public. In doing so, they will decrease the political pressures such as “make democratic reforms” on them and they will say, “you see I keep my promises and I make some constitutional changes”. At the same time, they will attempt to take steps to strengthen their power as they did during 2010 referendum. By taking support they did at that time, they will attempt to make new laws for their interests. AKP will act like that. This should not be forgotten.
What are the interests of AKP by acting like that?
This will make AKP win the elections. Prime Minister has conditioned himself for winning the elections. By acting like this, they would not need to take steps for democratisation and take any responsibilities.
Despite this political strategy, can one make AKP take some steps?
AKP continuing their politics with the constitution of 12 September is not in favour of democratisation. Prime Minister officially declared that the election threshold would not be reduced. I mean he even rejects reducing the election threshold. Things he has done so far is only for transforming the Ergenekon power to the AKP power. This is AKP’s interest, mentality and political strategy. I do not think AKP will ever change. This is their ideological and strategical stance. This is their theory. They cannot change but can be politically stretched a bit. When AKP is in difficulties, AKP can be forced to take some steps favouring the democratisation. Because they are pragmatists and they are not principled. They are ready to do everything to keep their power. Thus, they might take steps or give decisions for democratisation as long as they serve their power. Weak powers or those addicted to the power might act like that when they are weakened. They might be forced to take an action. AKP also has such a tendency.
How can the democratic powers take part? What they can do?
If the democratic powers stand up rightly and struggle well, they can make AKP to take such steps. That’s the nature of the process. In that sense, the responsibility belongs to the democtaric powers, peoples, women, youth and the workers. If these parties just stay as observers and wait to see what will PKK and AKP do, that would be wrong. This is not a process of fighting between AKP-PKK. It’s not just AKP-PKK that will decide on the process. We don’t find this approach right. Let’s be clear. Everyone must be very careful. PKK created a process such that everyone can participate. Gezi Park resistence is also a product of this process. Therefore the process will be successful and democratization will happen only if everyone do their own homeworks, recognize their own duties and responsibilities, make an effort to accomplish all these in a unity. Democracy is neither an achievement of AKP alone nor PKK. Democracy is a requirement for everybody (…)
What would it mean if Öcalan says I’m not in?
If Leader Apo is not in, then it means a peace between Kurds and Turks will never ever happen. Everyone must understand this very clearly and take the required steps. Failure of this process would mean that the peace will never happen again. It would mean the democracy could never be achieved on the basis of Kurdish-Turkish unity and fellowship. The type of war, division or fights that such a possibility would cause can never be anticipated, only the process would show it. Nobody should build a policy on top of such a possibility, and expect a better status after a failure of this process. It is even pointless and anormal to think such stuff or mention it. (…)
Which urgent steps need to be taken to improve the process and silence the suspicions exist in people?
We think the removing of Kurdish denial in the constitution and change in the conditions of Leader Apo as a requirement for the process to move forward. We expressed this clearly to the relevant parties, both in writing and also verbally. I can tell it openly here; we were told that these will come into the agenda at the beginning of second phase, and will be done at that time. The constitution will be prepared in a way to finish the denial of Kurdish identity and accept the Kurds. Situation of Leader Apo will be changed; problems surrounding his health, security and free working environment will be resolved. A medical team will be able to check him anytime, related setup will be prepared to let him work freely with a team.
It was told that some works are being done but nothing is announced to the public yet (…)
Öcalan says “this needs to finish until mid-october” …
It would obviously be a fantastic development and we would very much appreciate it if a real democratic reform and revolution occurs in Turkey until mid-October. We would join such a democratization process in a very active way and carry the heaviest burden. We are ready for such a situation. But if that doesn’t happen, nobody should think of PKK/Kurds as being without an alternative. One should never think that we are not ready for such a possibility. Therefore everything can become reversed. Dangerous developments may happen. I don’t want to threaten or warn anyone, I am not in such a position, but meantime I also believe that the truth must be known at the right time. There must be a process until the mid-October so that we should see the conditions of Leader Apo are changed either this summer or at the beginning of this autumn; a real process where Turkey goes through a serious democratic reform in terms of legal system. Whatever needed must be done, whoever responsible must fullfil his/her duties. The parliement must do less holidays. Commicions must work.
Is it just the Constitution Commission?
No! Leader Apo suggested some precautions against this as well. He suggests that 8 different layers of commissions must be organised and they need to work towards preparing the legal regulations that will achieve a real democratic change in Turkey. Commissions must work and prepare everything beforehand, so that the parliement can discuss, approve and legislate all of them in a week as soon as it starts working. This is possible. Or it can do a one month holiday instead of three, because we are going through an extraordinary period. A formula must definitely be found.
We support all the steps to achieve these.
NURDOĞAN AYDOĞAN
17-07-2013
Yeni Özgür Politika